NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT AWARD 2017 WAS A MASSIVE SUCCESS SAYS MOHAMED ALIEU JALLOH
By Mohamed Alieu Jalloh
The National Entertainment Award (NEA) which happens to be the First ever National Entertainment Award in the Country held on Saturday 29th April 2017 at the Bintumani International Auditorium Aberdeen was a massive success.
The NEA 2017 Award was organized by the LAKE Production in Partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs in order to recognise the contributions and hard work folks in the entertainment industry has been doing in helping to rebrand the country Nationally and Internationally. The Award ceremony was sponsored by Airtel SL.
Making a brief statement at the ceremony, the CEO of LAKE Production Company Limited, Alhaji K. Tarawally popularly known as LAJ-K of AYV Media Empire Empire disclosed that, the NEA 2017 Award’s theme is “Think Local and Act International” and that, the award ceremony is geared towards celebrating the home talents and inspiring them to do more so they can over shadow the other African Musicians and Film Makers who have taken the reign of power in the African Entertainment World.
LAJ-K lavished praises on AIRTEL (SL), the dynamic young Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Hon. Sidie Yayah Tunis, the Director of Tourism, Mr. Mohamed Jalloh, the General Manager of the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, Mr. Yassin Kargbo who he said have given all their bests for the success of the program and also thanked them, for their relentless and tireless efforts in the re-branding process of the country as well as revenue generation.
Adding that “this award ceremony costs over two hundred million Leones (Le200,000,000). He said this event is not about money making but towards help re-branding and transforming the entertainment industry in Sierra Leone. “We have spent all this money because we want to achieve the dream of President Koroma who always wishes the best for the Youths of this country, we want the President to be proud” he noted. He also added that, this event would not have been successful if not of the hard work and support from Rosaline Tarawally, his beautiful wife in the United States of America.
In her short statement, the General Manager of the sponsor, Airtel-SL, reiterated that, her company is very pleased and proud to sponsor the award ceremony and also reaffirmed the commitment of Airtel-SL in sponsoring other subsequent NEA award ceremonies and also help in the Socio-economic development of the Country.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone and his Institution, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Sidie Yayah Tunis, intimated that, the award ceremony is in accordance with the dream of His Excellency the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, who has the young generation of this country at heart. He said the President also has the aim of uplifting the Entertainment Industry and catapult it to the international level.
The Minister furthered that, entertainers in the country has done their level best in creating merriment and a blissful environment for all Sierra Leoneans but have never been celebrated or recognized and that, the award ceremony was a form of gratitude by saying “thank you to the entertainers”. Over seven senior government ministers including local and international agencies were also present to graced the first ever NEA Awards in Sierra Leone.
